


Relegated to family status

by JustLookFrightenedAndScuttle



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Jack's Thoughts, M/M, Season/Series 04, episode 4.23 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23562307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustLookFrightenedAndScuttle/pseuds/JustLookFrightenedAndScuttle
Summary: Based on Check Please!episode 4.23
Relationships: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann
Comments: 10
Kudos: 226





	Relegated to family status

**Author's Note:**

> Based on Check Please! [ episode 4.23](https://www.checkpleasecomic.com/comic/4-23-01)

Jack gently pushed the microphone aside and nodded at Bitty, surrounded by a gaggle of teammates and reporters.

“He’s the man of the hour,” Jack said. “You should talk to him.” 

The reporter moved on and Jack stayed put, on the sidelines while Bitty was the center of attention.

Jack couldn’t hear exactly what Bitty was saying, but he could see the flush on his cheeks and the wide, gap-toothed smile.

Even if the words didn’t make it all the way to Jack, the twang in Bitty’s voice did. Judging by the gestures, Bitty was distributing credit for the win to the players surrounding him, especially Whiskey and Chowder.

Trust Bitty to be gracious even while concussed.

“Only mildly,” Bitty had insisted on his way out of the locker room to join the celebration.

But still, Jack wanted to say. Bitty should be in a dark, quiet room letting his brain heal.

Jack couldn’t grudge Bitty the celebration, though, not after coming so close his senior year and falling just short.

Jack watched Bitty, flanked by his teammates, all wearing national championship snapbacks. Jack stood off to the side with Bitty’s parents, all wearing identical caps, relegated to the role of family.

Well. That wasn’t so bad.

Jack had worried about it, when he was alone. What if Samwell won and instead of being happy, Jack was bitter and jealous? Winning was what he wanted most his senior year, and he’d come so close, only to fail. What if he couldn’t be happy for Bits?

Sometimes, a sneaky voice in the back of his mind suggested it would be better if Samwell lost in the final, just as they had in Jack’s last college game. He could console Bitty, and they’d move on.

This, though, he wouldn’t trade for the world. It was almost like the Cup win last year, but on a smaller stage. It was no less meaningful, though. Maybe for the players it was more of an accomplishment, given that they had such a short window of time to win a national championship. For some, it was the last competitive hockey game they’d ever play.

While Bitty was giving praise to Chowder for being a virtual wall in the net and to Whiskey for scoring the game-winning goal, Jack knew the win belonged to Bitty.

Bitty, who had collapsed abs curled up and tried to protect himself from people who would hurt him his whole life, had finally had enough and decided to give as good as he got, and he was magnificent.

There was no way his team was going to lose after he did that, even if he did get called for a major just for standing up for himself. He had to. The refs weren’t doing it.

And if Bitty could find the strength to do that — and slay a few demons along the way — his team was going to dig deep, too. They did it for Bits.

Who was breaking free from the crowd gathered around him, hugging his parents, tugging Jack into an embrace.

“Let me get cleaned up,” he whispered in Jack’s ear. “I gotta go out with the team for a little while. But with the injury no one will expect me to stay out late. Meet you at yours?”

“I’ll have an ice pack waiting,” Jack said.

Yes, this was definitely going to be a good night after all.


End file.
